Rise of the Glitches
by Nyxy Maskalina Raccoon
Summary: Sasha and her sister Layla were living a perfectly normal life, or at least as normal as a sim's life could be. That all changed in one fell CC downloading swoop. Now glitches run rampant, terrorizing the town. Floating heads, hideously deformed children, mutant pets. Oh, and someone gets pregnant with the Grim Reaper's baby. No biggie, right? Slightly darker than it sounds.
1. Day One: Like a B-Movie

I do not own the Sims. It belongs to EA.

_So this happened... The idea just hit me, and I decide to wing it. It's a little darker than my usual Sims stories, but I figured I could use the challenge. Thanks for reading! NMR_

Day One: Like a B-Movie

My name is Sasha Shepherd. Yesterday, I was a perfectly normal young adult living with my sister and her boyfriend. We argued sometimes, but I had a pretty good life. I was working my way up the music career, and my sister Layla had finally become a nurse. We had a decent house, and a lot of friends.

It's not that I wasn't happy, but I always wanted something more. I dreamed of the extraordinary, not the ordinary. Boy was I stupid back then. Now I'd give anything to get back to being ordinary.

It had started off innocently enough. I'd been at the grocery store picking up junk food for our upcoming party. I paid for it and left the store as per usual. My phone rang before I could reach my car. I set down my bags and checked the name to make sure it wasn't some idiotic spammer. The caller ID read Layla. I shrugged and answered it. Looking back, I almost wished I hadn't.

"Sasha?"

Her voice was loud and panicked. Weird. She had always been the calm, reasonable one. Maybe Ethan had dumped her.

I was about to answer yes, but I was cut off.

"Listen. Something's gone terribly wrong! Half the townies are dead, houses are burning and... there are things out there. Get in your car, lock the doors!"

I laughed. She was _prank_ _calling_ me. All those years of me telling her to lighten up and she finally does. Admittedly, it was the worst prank call I'd ever heard, but we all have to start somewhere, right?

"Nice one, sis. Too bad we both know I'm the queen of the prank call. Try Ethan, he's stupid enough to believe anything."

Silence for a moment. Usually she would have told me off for insulting her beloved boyfriend. Ok, so maybe I was a bit harsh. What about it? My sister had always been sweet, but now she was _mushy_. Plus she hardly ever had time for me anymore. We used to go out all the time, but now it was Ethan, Ethan, Ethan. _Typical_.

"Sasha, I'm not making it up! You need to get home now. That's an order, little sister."

I was taken aback by the tone of her voice. Layla was not demanding, not at all. I was usually the one bossing her around.

"Uh, ok."

There was a click, and she hung up. That was strange, really strange. I knew it was total nonsense and a joke, but a part of me was suspicious. I'd watched too many bad movies.

Putting my phone back in my pocket, I surveyed the area. The grocery store was still open, the sign's smiling mascot looking down on me. The parking lot had emptied out, but that wasn't uncommon on a Tuesday. The houses across the road looked perfectly normal, but the windows were all closed. A faint odour of smoke hung in the air. Not the fresh, fragrant campfire smoke, but something almost artificial smelling. Plasticy. Ew.

The trees swayed slightly in the breeze, and the sky was still clear. It was cold for summer, but that beat a heatwave any day. The stoplights had turned off, familiar green and red flashes absent. That was weird. We might not live in a big city, but traffic lights were still very much necessary. I looked around for an electrical truck or repairman, but the road was completely empty. Dead, you could say.

I shivered, taking in my surroundings. Everything was familiar, I'd grown up here. I had no reason to be scared. It was the middle if the day for crying out loud! But I was scared, and every part of my mind was telling me to run. I grabbed my shopping bags and dashed to my silver car, yanking open the door. I dumped the bags on the passenger seat and stabbed the key into the ignition.

It started perfectly, as always. The car had been expensive, but I was now grateful for the quality. Brushing my black hair out of my eyes, I sped off.

It took me about twenty minutes to get home. The door was locked, all the curtains shut. I knocked on the door, waiting. No answer. I waited longer. Still nothing. Frustrated, I rummaged through my reading tote looking for my set of keys. It took me a while, but I did find them. They were sticky from melted gummy candy, and I wiped my hand on my jeans. The door opened and I stepped into the kitchen. My eyes widened in horror.

Standing on top of the table was Layla. Her eyes were wild, her usually perfect honey-blonde hair a mess. She held a fire poker in her hand, and it looked as though she planned to kill me with it.

"Layla!" I gasped. I didn't trust myself to say more. You don't provoke a psychopath, after all.

"Sasha, it's you."

Her shoulders slumped, and she started to relax. I turned and locked the door behind me, careful to make sure it clicked. Layla dropped the poker and climbed off the table. Her hands were shaking, and she looked like she'd been crying.

"Layla, what the heck is this?"

I stepped closer to her, carefully avoiding the fallen poker. She reached out and hugged me, her tears leaving wet stains on my shirt. The tips of her hair were singed, her pretty face streaked with dirt and ashes. Whatever had happened to her, it must have hurt.

"Oh Sasha, it was horrible. The hospital took in some of the survivors, they were such a mess. Beyond my care. I tried to keep them comfortable, but they wouldn't listen. They just stared unblinkingly at the ceiling. I've never seen anything like it. We tried to help, but they just kept coming. The things... They were terrible. Children with faces in their torsos and giant clawed hands. Floating heads without bodies. Seven foot tall animal skeletons. They were killing us, you know. They... they got Ethan."

I didn't know what to say. I just hugged her harder, feeling her sobs wracking her body. Eventually she let go, and I went to get her some bandages and a washcloth. The power was gone, so we ate a bag of chips that I'd bought. I'd gotten us candles and blankets, and we played a game on her phone until she calmed down. There was nothing else I could do. The rise of the glitches had begun.


	2. Night One: All the Comfort of Nostalgia

I do not own The Sims. It belongs to EA.

_I'm randomly updating this early because reasons. Lol. Anyway here's chapter two. I won't always update this quick, but yay for boredom and weekdays!_

_Karanathefirebender: Yay I'm glad you like it! It is creepy, but then again so are sims glitches. These glitches are much more malicious than the real ones, but there's a reason for that. I won't spoil anything, but I'm glad you like it and I'll try to update regularly. ~NMR_

Night One: All the Comforts of Nostalgia

Night seemed to drag on forever. I used to think it was too short, back when sleeping in actually mattered. Now I wished there was a way to skip the darkness, and the awful feeling of helplessness that accompanied it.

Every squeak or scratch made my heart pound. There was no way I could sleep now, not even if it was an option. Layla had closed her eyes, but I doubted she was really asleep. She'd always snored like a caveman, and right now she was silent. I used to hate that noise, but now I almost missed it.

A candle flickered, the warm light illuminating our messy living room. Neither of us had wanted to go to a bedroom, figuring it'd be safer near an escape route and the cars. A hint of vanilla scent hung in the air. It came from the candles of course, and even though it was cheap, it was comforting.

I pulled on the corner of the green comforter, careful not to uncover Layla's feet. It was surprisingly cold in the room, even though it was supposedly summer. Maybe it came with all the other problems, or maybe it was just a bad year. At this point I didn't care.

There was a faint tapping on the kitchen window and I jumped up. I turned around without getting off the couch, trying to get a look. Our house was open-concept, and I'd never been more grateful for the lack of hiding places.

Layla mumbled something and rolled over, knocking off the blanket. Her hand reached out, feeling across the carpet for it. The tapping in the kitchen didn't repeat itself, and I figured it was probably a bug. Still, my heart was racing and my breath was short.

"Sash?" Layla muttered, looking around groggily.

I turned to face her.

"Yeah?"

She sat up slowly, pulling herself up on the cheap old couch. Her hair was still messy, but she was wearing clean pjs and her face had been washed. A band-aid covered her right cheek, which had been cut by... something.

"I-I don't really know. I guess I just wanted to hear a living voice."

I nodded, understanding. She'd been through a lot, I couldn't even begin to imagine it. I didn't _want_ to imagine.

"Are you, you know, ok?"

She hesitated for a moment, her sad face illuminated by the dancing flames. I though she might cry again. I didn't want her to cry. She'd always been the stable one, the real strong one. I acted tough, and in many ways I was. But it was Layla who held me when I cried, Layla who patched up my wars with friends, Layla who took care of me when I was sick. Layla had picked up the pieces after Mom and Dad died and put them back together as best she could.

"Yeah," she said, "I am. I can't unsee those things, but I have to be strong for you. For us. Like before. We can get through this, I know it."

Now _I_ was almost crying. I hadn't cried since the day we heard of the fire. I'd been 15, Layla had been 18. That was five years ago.

"I have to go change the candles," I said, "they're almost burned out and we don't want to waste any of the matches."

I got up, stepping over the fallen blanket. There were three candles in the room. Two were dollar-store tealights set haphazardly in bowls, and one was the vanilla-scented one. The vanilla candle was huge, and it would take ages to burn out. It was the tealights I had to worry about.

Plastic crinkled as I fished out two more candles from the bag. There were supposedly a hundred of them in there, and I hoped it was true. I peeled up the new wicks and held them over the flames until they caught. I nearly burned my finger, but I didn't risk dropping one. I blew out the old candles and turned back to the living room.

A bang sounded from outside. I stopped, frozen. My breath stuck in my lungs, I didn't dare breathe. Another bang, this time louder.

"Layla?"

She was also standing now, and once again held the fire poker.

"No."

We looked at each other. I didn't know what to do. Would we have to fight? That probably wouldn't end well. I had a model ninja katana in my bedroom I'd once used for cosplaying, but it was flimsy and pretty dull. Besides, I didn't think I'd stand a chance against those... things, katana or no katana.

Another bang. My hand rested on my phone. I hoped 911 would still work but I doubted it. Layla raised the poker, stepping back a bit.

There was another sound, but this time it was a laugh. A heart-stopping, horrible sounding laugh.

I looked over at Layla.

"If we die, I blame you for this." I said jokingly. It was a line we'd laughed at before, usually when I was carrying out some crazy prank.

She grinned.

"And I'll hold you personally responsible."

The door clicked. It was showtime.

_So there you go, guys! What's on the other side of the door. Well, it's... NO SPOILERS! Thanks for all the reads! ~NMR_


	3. Morning Two: Beginning of the End

I do not own the Sims. It belongs to EA.

_Can I just say how awesome it is to be writing this? Not only is it the most fun story I get to write, it's also the most popular considering how new it is. A big thanks to all my readers! And it's an escape from the EVIL of nanowrimo, can't go wrong there! ~NMR_

_Karanathefirebender: I'm thrilled you like it so much! The wait is over... whatever lurks behind the door is going to be revealed! I'm glad to hear you think I pulled off the cliffhanger, as I'm rather new to that technique. I think we've all had some glitches, but a particular few can be downright terrifying! Thanks for continuing to read my fic and I hope you enjoy!_

_Guest: There are some truly horrific glitches out there, and I've had quite a few. I think seeing them in motiin makes it even worse, and I can't imagine finding some of them in your game! Eww! I've watched quite a few You Tube videos of glitches ask 'research', and they really can be creepy! I'm glad you like it and I plan to continue if for at least 30 or so more chapters. Thanks!_

Morning Two: Beginning of the End

As soon as that old door creaked open, it was like everything entered slow motion. Layla raising the fire poker. Me grabbing a candle. The long, bony hand reaching in. It was like a horror movie. If only there was a pause button, or a way to rewind. Someone hovered over the play button. No. We needed more time. I could see its whole arm now, twisted and mutilated. Reaching closer. No more distance.

_Play._

I leaped into action, trying to slam the door shut. My arm hit the wooden edge and I winced. It was noting serious, but it was enough of a distraction to let the thing in. I almost dropped the heavy vanilla candle, but my nails dug into that powdery soft wax and I held on.

Layla screamed, a mix of terror and anger. It had entered the house now, and I wished I'd never looked. The arms were long, nearly dragging on the ground. Its eyes bulged from its face, which was somehow in its stomach. There was no head resting on its neck, just a gnarled stub. Paper-like skin hung gauntly from the bony frame. I gasped, the last bit of breath leaving my lungs. I couldn't scream. I had to run, fight, do _something_. At this point it didn't matter what.

It lumbered toward me, its deformed arms slowing down its movement. I stepped to the side, candle still in my grip. Layla sprung to action, slamming the poker into its face. A horrible choking sound filled the room, and the monster dragged itself toward the kitchen. It was debilitated, but not down.

I had a plan, but I needed to get supplies. Not food, we could scavenge that. I needed the blanket, candles, lighter and my katana. Also the portrait of our parents, as I could never leave that behind. Layla needed it too. If the world had come to this, memories might be all we had left. Carefully putting down the candle, I set about getting it in action.

I grabbed the blanket, lighter and bag of candles and threw them outside on the lawn. Sure, they'd probably be damp, but a soggy blanket was better than _no_ blanket. I glanced back. Layla had the creature on the ground. It was slamming things with its arms, its movement spastic and random. For a second it glowed blue, white numbers floating around the crippled form. Yet as soon as my eyes had fully adjusted, they were gone. Hmm. I'd have to figure that one out later.

I silently begged that Layla would be alright, and ran down the hall to my room. I forced the door open, and it smashed into my guitar. Oh well, didn't matter. Scanning the area, I jumped up on my bed and yanked down the bladed weapon. It wasn't meant for battle, but it beat having nothing. On the way out I stopped in the bathroom. Layla kept a first-aid kit there. I was wasting precious time, but it'd pay for itself if one of us got hurt.

Ripping open the cupboard, I threw makeup everywhere. A perfume bottle smashed, its sweet scent filling the air. I spotted what I was looking for and pulled it out, scattering even more cosmetics. Maybe the mutants would find them and use them. Ew! Why did I even _think_ like that?

My hands nearly full, I returned to the living room. Layla had managed to hold off the creature, but it had gotten up again. I searched the living room for the portrait, my heart pounding in my ears.

"Sasha! We need to go!"

The thing was up and running now, getting ever closer to me. There was no way I could stay long enough to find it. I silently apologized to my parents for leaving their picture, but I knew they'd rather us make it out alive.

"Get outside, Layla! Pick up the stuff on the lawn and load it in a car. I'll meet you there, promise!"

She grabbed her poker, attempting to hit the mutant now only a few feet away from me. She missed.

"I'm not leaving you-"

It was just like her to argue in a situation like this.

"Just get out. No arguing!"

She looked furious, but she left. I had only seconds now. I ran for the door, slinging the first-aid kit over my shoulder. That freed my hand, and I grabbed the vanilla candle. My arm shook as I thought about what I was doing. Fire. It ruined me, took my family. The orange light danced, unaware. Behind me, twisted arms reached out. No choice.

_Sorry Mom. Sorry Dad._

I let go. It fell, the hot wax splattering on the carpet. Flames licked at the fabric, quickly overtaking it. Fire. It had taken everything, but it was now my second chance. I ran out the open door, never looking back. It was over now, we weren't going home. Inside, the mutant creature was consumed by the flames, along with everything else. Gone. It was scary.

Outside it was light enough out that I could see Layla had picked up the supplies. _Thanks, sis._ The strap of the first aid kit cut into my shoulder, but I ignored it. We'd survived. Behind me, the house was alight, a plume of thick smoke hovering above us. I dashed toward the cars, not caring about anything anymore.

Layla was there, her pretty face once again streaked with tears.

"Fire." was all she said.

"Yeah, but we're safe. It's dead now."

There were two vehicles. One was my rather expensive little car, the other was our parent's old van. I remembered the plans we made last night. We'd split up, taking both of them. Driving into town, we'd see if there were any others like us, survivors. Safety in numbers, after all. Once we'd gathered as many as possible, we would head out, looking for a safer spot. Somewhere less crowded. I was no expert, but I figured the mutant things liked crowds.

Layla would take the van, since she was a better driver. I was happy about that. I hated sharing my car, even with my sister. I'd make an exception in a situation like this, but still.

She left first. I watched the taillights fade into the early morning haze, vanishing behind a stand of trees. My turn next. I started the car, my hands gripping the cold leather steering wheel.

My foot pressed the gas pedal, and I was moving. Gravel crunched under my tires as I backed up. Pulling out on the road, I looked both ways. No one, the road was dead. Dead. Hah.

I pushed down harder, my speed increasing until I caught sight of a red van in the distance. Whatever happened now, we could only go forward. No pause, no rewind. Just moving on.

_That's Chapter Three for ya! Hope you liked it! Don't be afraid to review, fave and follow if you enjoy, and thanks for reading. ~NMR_


	4. Day Two: Together We Fall

I do not own the Sims. It belongs to EA.

_Early updates all around! Thanks for all the support, guys! NaNo is still killing me, but writing actual chapters has kept my mind intact lol. Hope you enjoy Chapter Four, awesome possums! ~NMR_

_Karanathefirebender: Thank you SO much for the compliments and sticking with this story! They will find other survivors and escape... at least for a while. I will definitely continue writing this story, it's very fun. Thanks again for your continued support! ~NMR_

Day Two: Together We Fall

It seemed like I'd been driving for hours. It was now afternoon and a sunny day, but there was nothing to be cheerful about. Our hometown was little more than charred rubble with the occasional burned-out car or bus. We'd looked around, hoping there would be others, yet we found nothing but silence. If there had been any survivors, they'd escaped long before we arrived. I had forced back tears seeing the place I'd grown up in ruined. Everything we knew was falling.

The old country road whizzed by, dead fields and empty barns blurring together until it all looked the same. The pavement was faded and bumpy, and if I wasn't careful I'd end up in a pothole. At least the bumps kept me focused and awake, I guess.

Way in the distance ahead of me was Layla, a speck of red on top of a hill. How she managed to get the old van going that fast I'll never know. I mean, my car was one step down from a sports car and it couldn't keep up with that old clunker. If Layla had been a daredevil like me she would have probably been a top race car driver by now.

I was thinking of racing her when I saw her suddenly come to a stop. She turned around, creeping slowly down the side of the road until she stopped. I had to slam on the brakes as well to avoid hitting her. What was going on? Had she been attacked? Was she ok? I screeched to a halt, parking next to her.

She had climbed out of the car and was now facing... A little boy?

He was most definitely a kid, and a normal looking one as well. My breathing slowed down. She was safe. I was safe. The kid was talking to her, his fluffy brown hair blowing in the wind. He wore a dirty red and blue striped shirt and grass-stained jeans. Messy, but certainly human.

"You don't hurt mom or my sister! Leave them alone!" He demanded, glaring at Layla.

My sister knelt down calmly. She'd always been a natural with kids, and I hoped she still was. Otherwise mutants would be the least of our worries. What? This kid meant business!

"Look, we're not here to hurt anyone. I don't know where your mom or sister are. We're looking for survivors to take with us." Her voice was soft, the one she'd used whenever I was upset back when I had been his age.

His brown eyes softened a bit, but he still looked suspicious.

"Really. If you want, you and your family can come with us. We have room." I offered.

Technically I didn't know if that was true, but we had been looking for survivors to take with us. This kid was as good as any.

"Maybe."

He turned around, pointing at what appeared to be a crashed car in the ditch. My eyes widened.

"But you'll have to get them out of there first."

He trudged toward the tangled metal slowly, as though he didn't really want to reach it. I couldn't blame him. Maybe we could help, but I doubted it. The car looked pretty screwed up to me.

My thoughts were cut off by a barking noise. I bent my knees, cursing myself for leaving my katana in my car. I'd gone through all that trouble, and I forget it. Typical.

"Shh, Charlie. They're not gonna hurt you." The boy bent down and a small black Lab puppy crawled out of the nearby bushes. The dog hesitated for a moment, but eventually came to the boy. I smiled. It was cute.

"Good boy. Now stay here and don't go on the road, ok?"

He stood up and gestured for us to come with him. "Charlie won't follow us, he'll stay."

I nodded, not knowing what to say. Layla was close behind me as we walked toward the site of the wreck. The car was nearly sideways, the passenger seat window smashed. I nearly gasped, but stopped myself for the sake of the little boy. He didn't need anything else to worry about.

"I know Rosie's ok, and I'm not sure about my mom. The celebrity woman, well I think she's," he looked at the ground, his hands grabbing onto the stained corner of his shirt, "you know."

I wanted to leave, but I knew I couldn't. There was a live girl in there, and hopefully even a living mother. Closing my eyes, I took a deep breath and stepped forward.

Through the windshield I could see two figures. Neither were moving. The one in the driver's seat had medium length brown hair peppered with grey and looked to be in her late thirties. She was wearing a navy blue business suit and white undershirt.

Beside her was another woman. She was younger, her blonde hair styled in an elaborate up-do. Even slumped against a window and covered in broken glass, I could still see that she was pretty and her makeup was meticulously done. She was dressed in a rather revealing red cocktail dress, and had on quite a few necklaces. I could've sworn I'd seen her before, but I didn't know where. She appeared to be in worse condition than the driver, and I hoped for the kid's sake his mom had been the one driving.

Movement from the backseat caught my eye. I walked away from the front of the car, now staring through the backseat window. Inside was a young toddler. She had messy, short brown hair and was dressed in a pink shirt and skirt. She was kicking her legs around wildly, trying to grab her feet. Aside from a small cut on her cheek and some bruises on her legs, she looked fine. I assumed she was Rosie.

Behind me, the little boy was watching his sister.

"Can you help them?" He asked, his big eyes brimming with tears.

What did I say? Yes? Maybe? Rosie for sure?

"I think so. Layla, go get the first aid kit. I'm the smallest one here other than the kid, so I'll have to crawl in and get his sister."

Layla nodded, and I was grateful she was a nurse. At least I knew Rosie would make it.

"What can I do?" The boy asked, looking around.

"You can wait by the broken window for me to hand you Rosie. My sister's a nurse and she'a setting up right now, so as long as we get her out she'll be fine."

He nodded, following me to the smashed-in window.

"My name's Grayson, by the way."

I boosted myself up to the window, getting ready to slide through.

"Sasha." I said, my voice coming out rougher than I intended.

I slipped inside, ignoring the cut I got from the shattered glass. I didn't think about the adults in the front, instead crawling over them and into the back. Rosie babbled at me, waving her arms around.

"I'm here, kid. Now stay still."

I popped open the seatbelt and pulled her out of her car seat, carefully checking her over. No broken bones and nothing worse than the cut on her cheek. She was incredibly lucky. I crawled back towards the shattered window, squirming toddler in my hands.

Grayson reached out and took her ever so carefully, and she cooed at him happily. I felt amazing. I'd just saved a life. I was a hero, like all the movie characters I idolized.

The high didn't last for long, however. There were still two others inside the wreck, and I had to deal with them. I would try the driver first, as she seemed the most likely to respond. I checked her pulse, she was definitely alive. As I moved debris away from her, her eyes opened.

"Stay calm, ok? Grayson is safe and so is Rosie. I'll get you out next."

She blinked groggily, turning her head toward the window.

"Mom!" Grayson yelled, grinning happily.

The older woman nodded slowly, pulling her arm out of the steering wheel. I fiddled with the driver's side door, eventually managing to break it open. A warm breeze rushed in, filling the air with the scent of clover. I climbed out and Layla joined me in helping Grayson's mom out. I left her with Layla, knowing my sister had everything under control. She was good that way.

I watched as Layla expertly cleaned and bandaged her patients. Grayson was showing Charlie to Rosie, and the little girl was hugging the dog. Their mom was now much more alert, though she had a broken arm. Both would pull through nicely, despite the crash.

I turned back to the car where the younger woman remained. Squeezing back through the door, I carefully gripped her wrist feeling for a pulse. After a moment, I gasped in surprise. She was alive! But for how long?

_That's Chapter Four for you guys! I hope you liked it and continue to read my stories. Who is the mystery woman, and will she survive? Hint: She's never met Grayson, Rosie or their Mom before. You'll find out in chapter five... Til then, stay awesome and keep simming! ~NMR_


	5. Night Two: Going Downhill Fast

I do not own the sims. It belongs to EA.

_Author's note: Back again. Updates are speeding up lol. Here's the next chapter in Rise of the Glitches! Wonder no more about the identity of the mystery woman... But will she leave more questions than answers? Thanks for reading!_

_Karanathefirebender: Thanks! She was a spur-of-the-moment addition, but her background is even more important than her, though her role will become more interesting later on. Thanks again for the awesome reviews and continued support. It means a lot! I hope you enjoy this chapter! _

Night Two: Going Downhill Fast (Chapter 5)

My fingers intertwined with the frayed seat belt, tugging at it desperately. It was stuck, the impact of the crash must have broken the mechanism or something, I guess. I was no expert on cars, but the details didn't matter now.

The woman was breathing faintly, her pale skin cool to the touch. I couldn't see any large injuries, but it was Layla who understood medicine, not me. All I could do was get her out, which was proving more difficult than I'd originally thought.

To make matters worse, the sun was beginning to sink lower in the sky, tinting the nearby creek pink. It would have been beautiful if I didn't know what the dark brought. Mutants. Would they find us here? I shuddered, remembering the hideous twisted limbs mixing with the heat of the fire.

At last I heard the sound of plastic snapping. I'd been pounding the seatbelt clip with a very sharp rock. Pulling the strap away, I tried to make the young woman sit up. She groaned quietly, but stayed completely still.

"So there _is_ someone in there after all, huh? I'll get you out, don't worry."

I remembered Layla mentioning that talking to patients could calm them down. I had no idea if this woman could hear me, but I tried it anyway.

Outside Layla was putting the finishing touches on Grayson's mom's makeshift cast. It was more like a splint, but we couldn't afford to be fussy. I figured most of the hospitals were either closed or ruined. Besides, even if we found one I didn't think Layla could handle being reminded of what she'd seen. The things... I pictured the scene, deformed mutants and terrified patients. Screaming. Blood on white tiles. That too-sanitary hospital smell. _My_ _sister_. I winced at the thought.

I fought off the images and returned to my task of rescuing the blonde, who was now mumbling something I couldn't understand. The car door was still ajar, a cool breeze ruffling my short black hair. It was surprisingly cold and I was grateful that my hoodie was still in the car. I yanked on the lap belt which was caught on a chunk of plastic. It snapped back, making me jump. My nerves were still on edge.

"Layla, you need to help me get her out. She's alive, but I don't know _how_ alive..."

Layla got up, her tall frame casting a shadow on the soft green grass.

"You're either alive or you're not, Sash."

I rolled my eyes. That was _so_ my sister, pointing out correct terms no matter what. I wondered if next time there was a mutant attack I'd have to hear about proper terminology. No, I shouldn't think like that. There wouldn't be another attack. We'd do... something.

Layla reached out, gently pulling the woman towards her. I helped, and soon we'd managed to lower her safely onto the ground, which was now wet with dew. I dragged the first aid kit over to her before heading for my car. Inside was my well-worn grey hoodie, as well as a bag of candy. I slid the comfortable fabric over my shirt, enjoying the softness of the fleece lining. I'd had it since I was a teenager, and I didn't plan on ever giving it up. It smelled like home and my favourite perfume. I sighed, looking up at the now dark sky. All that was gone now.

After shoving a fistful of sour candy in my mouth, I went back to find the others. Grayson was sitting next to his mother, dark circles under his eyes. It looked strange on such a youthful face, wrong even. His mother was holding Rosie, who'd fallen asleep in her arms. Charlie had curled up at their feet, his sleek black fur reflecting the soft moonlight.

Layla was the only one still standing. The blonde was doing better, though she was in pretty bad shape. Luckily there were no fatal wounds, as I'd thought. Just smashed up arms and legs, and she'd probably have a killer headache.

I sat down next to Grayson's mom, who gave me a weary smile.

"Who's the blonde woman?" I asked, figuring she'd know the answer.

The older brunette shifted, causing Rosie to stir slightly. I held my breath, hoping she'd go back to sleep. _Someone_ deserved to be comfortable at least.

"Her name is Goldie Glyttr. You've probably heard of her. Country singer and actress."

Her voice was tired and flat, and she sounded like she really needed to join Rosie and sleep. I on the other hand, was suddenly more awake. Goldie Glyttr? That was impossible!

"Goldie? But she lives in Bridgeport! That's two days away!"

"I know." Grayson spoke up, sounding annoyed.

His mother gave him a look, before once again staring off into the starlit distance.

"Yeah, that's where we all lived. I was a taxi driver back there, and I'd never heard of Goldie other than the articles in magazines. Three days ago her agent approached me. He said he'd pay me 55,000 simoleons if I could get her out of town safely. I hadn't known at first, but by then it didn't matter. We were leaving anyway, so I took her along."

That made sense, except for one part. The mutants had only started appearing yesterday. Goldie would have had no way of knowing about it back then, unless... unless the mutants were spreading slowly, like a plague risen beyond virus level.

So outrunning them might be useless. If cities as far away as Bridgeport were infected, there was no way of knowing if a safe zone even existed. Everywhere could be overrun with them, their deformed and twisted faces leering at us from behind rubble and leaves. I looked around, trying to catch sight of one. Nothing. The only sounds were crickets, the chirping bringing back memories of being seven and running through my old backyard.

So they had us outnumbered, and cut off from supplies. It wasn't the end of the world... Unless it was.

I helped Layla carry Goldie to the van and lay her down on the floor. It was safer to put her there than on a seat, since she could roll off. Grayson, Rosie and their mom would also sleep in the van, safely tucked away behind metal walls. Me and my sister would share the car. Great, snoring and a tiny, cramped seat. Just what I needed.

I settled down in my seat, the leather cover cold against my exposed skin. I tilted it back as far as I could, but it didn't help much. Layla was also trying to do the same, but failing. Eventually she gave up, the car becoming silent. I closed my eyes, suddenly exhausted.

"Night, Lay. I blame you for this."

I heard her giggle quietly.

"Nah, it's obviously your fault. I told you to clean your room before it started creating new life."

I laughed despite being insulted.

"Sure, whatever you say."

I readjusted my awkward position in a feeble attempt to get more comfortable. The last thing I remembered thinking was how normal our jokes sounded against the backdrop of a world gone mad. Then, I drifted off to sleep.

_AN: Yay for chapter five! Next time we'll follow them on a supply raid, and possibly a meeting with a new enemy. Stay tuned and stay awesome! _


	6. Morning Three: Pressure Rising

I do not own the Sims. It belongs to EA.

_Author's note: Sorry about the slowish updates I've got a lot going on... and now THREE consistently updated fics to deal with (my latest being Fridge Logic: The Secret Life of a Freezer Bunny) as well as this one and another non-sims story. Thanks for sticking around and a shout-out to all those who faved and followed! ~NMR_

_Karanathefirebender: Aww thanks so much! I tried to add something more than just generic scary stuff and I'm so glad you like it! I'll try and keep it going in the same direction! Thanks again, you're amazing :)_

_PandaMea: I'm glad you like it! It's pretty creepy lol! The compliments are awesome XD and hopefully you enjoy my future updates! Thanks for the support and reviews! _

_Black rainbows and neon cats: She sorta saved her, but it wasn't all crazy dramatic or anything that someone else couldn't have done... Layla's the real hero as she patched them up. It's cool you like the story, and there will be a lot more about how such a thing happened later on. Thanks for the review! _

Morning 3: Pressure Rising

It felt like I'd been driving for eternity, and my car was running low on gas. Not to mention that the windshield was a bug warzone. Ew. For their tiny size, they sure did pack a serious splat factor.

My car sputtered for a second, but it fixed itself. Still, I knew I didn't have forever.

I wasn't alone in this, either. The van was nearing empty, or at least that's what Layla had said on the phone. We'd been on the lookout for gas stations or abandoned cars to raid, but so far we'd found neither. The main problem was our location. Being in the middle of nowhere was good for avoiding mutants, but it made finding supplies nearly impossible.

Currently we were driving down a twisting forest road. It was paved decently, but it still felt rugged and detached. I wasn't sure whether that was more or less creepy. The trees were huge, leaning over the road and blocking out the thin morning glow. A hint of fog hung in the air, and occasionally I would freak myself out thinking I'd seen something in it. Of course it turned out to be nothing, but come on. If you know anything about horror movies, you'll know driving down a foggy forest road while nearing empty was a _very_ bad idea. Like, that was on the top ten lists of NOPE.

This time I was in the lead, so it was my duty to point out anything of importance to the others. Which meant I had to pay attention not only to the winding, empty road, but also to my surroundings. So far it was just trees, trees and even more trees. Boring unless you're one of those crazy nature lovers, which I was not. Give me technology any day!

I messed with the radio, trying to find a channel that wasn't static. It was supposed to be high quality, but so far I hadn't been able to pick up anything but random noise. I was getting so frustrated I barely noticed the sign on the side of the road.

Slamming in my brakes, I reversed the thirty or so feet necessary and stopped.

"Dayston Campground Road: a Tour To Remember"

I had no desire for a camping vacation right now, but that could only be a good thing. Where there were tourists, there were hotels, diners and most importantly, gas stations. I silently cheered, honking my horn to get Layla's attention.

Below the camping sign there was another, more official-looking one.

"Bridgeton: 250"

Bridgeton was the middle-class answer to Bridgeport. A while before I'd been born it was supposedly cool, but from what I heard it went down fast. Now it was mostly low-income urban sprawl with a few chain stores thrown in. Not somewhere I'd normally go, but there'd be lots of supplies at least.

Layla texted me about the sign and I responded. We agreed to go a bit slower in hopes of finding somewhere to stock up. I could see a lake nearby, so I figured we were in peak tourist zone.

Less than an hour later we found our gas station. It was small, but no one was complaining. The door had been smashed down, yet the pumps worked and the store inside was relatively untouched. We filled our tanks and grabbed as many cans of soft drink and bags of chips as we could. Sure, it wasn't healthy but I wasn't complaining, and neither was Grayson. Or Charlie, who seemed to quite enjoy cleaning up any dropped snacks.

After I was certain that nothing useful had been left behind, we set off again. Obviously it was still creepy, but the scenery was beautiful and the car was practically purring. I still hadn't found a radio station, so I sang whatever came to mind.

The fog had lifted, and I honestly regretted never having come here before. The landscape was beautiful, and from what little I saw so was the tiny town. The forest was dotted by log cabins, along with an ice cream stand, general store and bait shop. A handmade dock jutted out into the still waters of the lake, a red canoe tied to the post. If it hadn't been so unnaturally empty, it could have been a postcard picture.

I wondered why everywhere was abandoned. Surely everyone wasn't dead. Had they gone somewhere we didn't know about? If so, I hoped we could find it. As much as I would have loved to stay here, I knew it wasn't a viable option. We needed to find somewhere with far more supplies, maybe even weapons. You couldn't be too careful, after all.

Another couple of hours went by, as did the lovely camping town. Soon I could see the skyline of a huge city, its plain grey buildings towering above the last of the trees. The air around it was hazy from pollution, giving the entire thing a rather flat appearance. It had its own charm, but compared to the forest town it was ugly.

Layla texted me saying she was taking a break to stretch her legs. I decided to join her, and we stopped at an abandoned fast food joint on the very outskirts of the city. It had been unused for years judging by its condition, the once scarlet roof a faded pink. I stepped out of my car, nearly falling over. It sure didn't take long to forget how to walk.

"Looks like we can't get a burger. That sucks." Grayson said, looking disheartened. He stared longingly at the shattered drive-through window, as though looking would somehow reopen the whole thing.

"You can have a bag of chips," I offered, "though I know it's not the same."

He stomped his foot, a scowl creeping across his face.

"No."

His mother shook her head at him. "Grayson, that was very rude. Sasha didn't have to offer you her chips. Next time you'll say no thank you."

He kicked a pebble around, not looking at his mother. "I already have chips."

I rolled my eyes. We were caught in the middle of a mutant invasion, but somehow the main concern was junk food. Yeah, because that really mattered.

There was a loud bang from behind us and a nearby window shattered. I jumped, my hands instinctively reaching for the katana I had forgotten in the car. I really needed to start carrying it with me.

A strange electrical noise filled the air, and in front of the building was a floating head. No body... Literally. Somehow it managed to get closer, it's bald scalp reflecting the sunlight. The eyes were crossed, mouth gaping open. A mutant restaurant, huh. Did I want fries with that? Heck no!

_ANOTHER MUTANT GLITCH! OH NO! Thanks for reading and I look forward to sharing chapter 7 with you guys! Have a great day/night/whatever lol! ~NMR_


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